AI music platform Soundful launches “Soundful Collabs” series with big-name artistsThe AI music production platform Soundful has launched a new “Soundful Collabs” series campaign.

READ MORE: “She is a generation-defining artist”: Taylor Swift named Apple Music’s 2023 Artist of the Year

It’ll be working with some of the biggest artists and producers to capture their “Sonic DNA”, giving users of the platform the opportunity to create tracks that sound like them, as well as “simultaneously pioneering a clear and ethical path for content monetisation.”
Among the names involved in the initial launch are 3LAU, Autograf, CB Mix, DJ White Shadow, Kaskade, and Starrah. But Soundful will be working on numerous other names throughout the campaign. The programme will provide a new revenue channel for artists, producers and labels involved, too, as they can earn income from every tranasction.
Soundful’s founder and CEO Diaa El All said in a statement, “Working directly with this elite group of talented stars to adapt our technology to their signature sounds was a very ambitious undertaking, and quite honestly, took some world-class creativity and engineering to pull it off.
“I’m incredibly proud that our subscribers can now create tracks in the sound of some of their idols. It’s a huge step towards leveraging the promise of AI to inspire creativity while also rewarding artists and other rights holders with ethical and meaningful income.”
Premium subscribers to Soundful can access the collabs by paying an extra fee for finished track creation and downloads.
Soundful launched its beta a year ago, and has grown to have over half a million users – and brands are using Soundful for content for advertising, social media, promo videos and vlogs.
Soundful co-founder and board member Neil Jacobson, CEO of Hallwood Entertainment said, “My thesis is and has always been that the growing number of musicians coming online globally who are learning that they don’t need to be instrumentalists in order to be copyrightable musicians, is one of the most exciting movements in music.
He continued, “Soundful is the bridge to both creators and those who need affordable, licensable music at scale through the most seamless platform that exists. The more people learn to create music, the more their ear as a listener will be developed. The developed ear is what will drive sophistication, thereby higher quality music overall.”
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Hipgnosis Song Management appoints Daniel Pounder as CFO, Jonathan Baker as General CounselHSM currently services two clients: the Blackstone-backed private fund, Hipgnosis Songs Capital, and the UK-listed Hipgnosis Songs Fund
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Aux, RealCount win Music Tectonics 2023 music tech startup competitionTwo promising music tech startups were named the winners of the 2023 Swimming with Narwhals Startup Pitch Competition at the recent Music Tectonics Conference. AI-powered music samples creator Aux is the. Continue reading
The post Aux, RealCount win Music Tectonics 2023 music tech startup competition appeared first on Hypebot.

Elektron releases limited silver-faced e25 Remix Edition of Digitakt, Digitone and Syntakt to celebrate 25th anniversaryElektron has launched a line of silver-faced, limited edition versions of its Digitakt, Digitone and Syntakt drum and synth machines to honour of the brand’s 25th anniversary.
The e25 Remix Editions are “inspired by yesteryear, and hell-bent on pulling your sounds through the veil of possibility and into reality,” according to Elektron.

READ MORE: Native Instruments emulates ’80s analogue mastering hardware with new digital channel strip plugin

For those not already familiar with these three instruments, here’s a short overview of each one: The Digitakt is an eight voice digital drum computer and sampler which was released in 2017. The Digitone, an eight voice polyphonic digital synthesiser, then followed hot on its heels the following year.
Finally, the Syntakt landed in 2022 as the baby of the bunch. This offering is a 12 track drum computer and synthesiser, which we scored 9/10 in our review due to its flexibility and functionality.
For this special reissue, Elektron has introduced a number of unique additions to the models. The instruments have each been hand-built in stainless steel, individually numbered and have laser-etched logos.
The faceplates have been brushed to give them their own unique finish, so that no two units look the same in appearance. The box they arrive in also contain e25 poster versions, and a “multiple decade-covering/greatest hits” sticker sheet. Interestingly, they also come with a special Remix Edition cassette tape, which features an hour of original music from the Elektron Team.
Take a closer look in the teaser video below:

Earlier this year, the Elektron Analogue Four Mk II was featured in our round up of the best polyphonic synths to buy in 2023. The four-voice analogue synth comes with a built-in sequencer, arpeggiator, and reverb, chorus and delay effects.
The e25 Remix Edition of the Syntakt is priced at $1,149, with the Digitakt and Digitone both coming in at $999. Find out more, and shop the range (including a special e25 Remix t-shirt) over at Elektron.
The post Elektron releases limited silver-faced e25 Remix Edition of Digitakt, Digitone and Syntakt to celebrate 25th anniversary appeared first on MusicTech.

Psychic Modulation MondoMelt MondoMelt is a lo-fi character effect designed for quickly creating tape vibes on the fly, taking the melting and tone-shaping capabilities of Echomelt3 and wrapping them up into a compact... Read More

$9.99 SiriusXM streaming service leans into human curation, exclusivesSiriusXM has announced the launch of a $9.99 per month streaming service that combines content from its satellite radio service, Pandora music service, and Stitcher podcast app alongside more than. Continue reading
The post $9.99 SiriusXM streaming service leans into human curation, exclusives appeared first on Hypebot.

20 beautiful musician websites to get inspired byThe music website experts at Bandzoogle share twenty artists who take their virtual representation to the next level with visually mesmerizing landing pages and websites. by Joseph Longo from Bandzoogle. Continue reading
The post 20 beautiful musician websites to get inspired by appeared first on Hypebot.

The Alchemist and Earl Sweatshirt say the greatest hip-hop producers of all time are DJ Premier, Madlib, Pete Rock and RZAThe Alchemist and Earl Sweatshirt have praised DJ Premier, Madlib, Pete Rock and RZA as the greatest hip-hop producers of all time.
After it first arose in the early ’70s, hip-hop has now been around for about 50 years. The genre had a colossal impact on music production, eventually introducing sampling, beat matching, scratching and other techniques to the mainstream.

READ MORE: “She is a generation-defining artist”: Taylor Swift named Apple Music’s 2023 Artist of the Year

In a new video from Complex, The Alchemist and Earl Sweatshirt sit down for an episode of GOAT Talk to select their “greatest of all time” rap albums, ad-libs, and more.
When asked to select their choices for the greatest hip-hop producer of all time, The Alchemist doesn’t hesitate in choosing DJ Premier as his favourite: “DJ Premier, man. I wanted to say something wacky but it’s like let’s just stick to it, let’s… come on.”
He adds, “DJ Premier is the pinnacle – I had to figure out how to not make fake Premier beats as a kid, it was that much of an influence on me.”
Earl Sweatshirt also agrees, and adds a further two GOATed producers to the list: “I feel like the other two who float up if you bring up Premier’s name, or three I guess, is Madlib, Pete Rock and RZA,” he says.
“I feel like I hear their influence in your production sound,” The Alchemist adds.
Watch the full video below, and catch their discussion around producers at the eight-minute mark:

In honour of such a huge milestone for the hip-hop genre, figureheads from the music industry have been exploring its legacy. Will Smith launched his own podcast about it back in October. It features guests like Queen Latifah, Salt-N-Pepa, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Rakim and Chuck D.
Also in honour of its anniversary, Grandmaster Flash hosted a masterclass and Q&A at this year’s Amsterdam Dance Event last month. As one of the most influential hip-hop artists, he became known for creating Quick Mix Theory and inventing the slip mat.
The post The Alchemist and Earl Sweatshirt say the greatest hip-hop producers of all time are DJ Premier, Madlib, Pete Rock and RZA appeared first on MusicTech.

MPS-10 drum pad and KAOSS Replay from Korg Korg's new MPS-10 drum pad promises unrivaled control over sounds and parameters, whilst the KAOSS Replay combines their popular XY-based effects system with a powerful sampler.

Analog Obsession Releases FREE FetCB Dynamics Plugin
Analog Obsession released FetCB, a freeware compressor plugin for digital audio workstations on Windows and macOS. Although I’ve told myself, “No more compressors,” here I am with another free compressor plugin. Ultimately, who can deny the charm and appeal of a shiny new plugin compressor? This will surely make my drums sound fatter, punchier, and [...]
View post: Analog Obsession Releases FREE FetCB Dynamics Plugin

“I’ve never played a pre-recorded set”: David Guetta slams claims of DJ fakeryDavid Guetta has dismissed claims made by Deadmau5 that “[at] most major festivals, [DJs] have to play pre-recorded sets”.

READ MORE: HÖR Berlin allegedly shuts off set by DJ wearing a T-shirt that said ‘Palestine’ written in Arabic

“I was looking online at Deadmau5 who was saying every DJ, including me, is playing a pre-recorded set,” the Titanium producer said in a recent interview featured on The Daily Star’s Wired column, according to NME.
“I won’t speak for other people, but I’ve never done that. You often see comments from people that I do this, but it’s not true. I love DJ-ing, and DJ-ing is about reading the crowd and connecting to them.”
Guetta’s response comes after Deadmau5, a fellow EDM producer and DJ, in a 2021 live stream recently rediscovered on YouTube, addressed the subject of pre-recorded DJ sets. When asked if he had ever performed a “fake” DJ set, he admitted himself to using pre-recorded sets on occasion due to time constraints and claimed that it’s not an uncommon practice.
“If [the viewer] means a pre-recorded set,” he says in the 2021 clip, “yeah, wow, all the time. Most of the time. Does that make you mad? Do I go to jail for that? Sometimes they are, sometimes they aren’t,” he says.
“[At] most major festivals you have to play a pre-recorded set. Like EDC [Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas], I would be surprised if somebody actually played a set that wasn’t pre-recorded to be honest, because there’s such a big deal to the fucking artist in the production schedule and the timeline and all that stuff that they wouldn’t wanna fuck up.
“You know what a dead giveaway is to a pre-recorded set? The visuals, believe it or not. When shit is so immaculately timed that everything is lining up, that means everything is on a playback system,” he explains. “What do they do up there? Twiddle filter knobs and clap, yes absolutely. That’s all you can do.”
After the footage was rehashed, Deadmau5, in August, followed up his previous comments, responding to an Instagram post, “The fuck do I care. I’m an engineer first, producer second, performer third. Pre-recorded, on the fly, DJs, live PAs… who cares, everyone does shit their own way. So maybe just try to have a good time?”
This isn’t the first time Deadmau5 has accused superstar DJs of faking DJ sets. In 2012, Deadmau5 took aim at Guetta directly, telling Rolling Stone, “David Guetta has two iPods and a mixer and he just plays tracks – like, ‘Here’s one with Akon, check it out!’”, he says.
In the same interview, Deadmau5 explains Skrillex’s on-stage setup: “He has a laptop and a MIDI recorder, and he’s just playing his shit… People are, thank God, smartening up about who does what… but [there are] still button-pushers getting paid half a million. And not to say I’m not a button-pusher. I’m just pushing a lot more buttons.”
David Guetta has weighed in on a number of hot music tech topics this year. One of those is AI. In February, he played his own AI-generated Eminem rap live, later saying, “I’m sure the future of music is in AI. For sure. There’s no doubt. But as a tool.”
Keep up to date with the latest DJ news via MusicTech.
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“She is a generation-defining artist”: Taylor Swift named Apple Music’s 2023 Artist of the YearTaylor Swift has been named Apple Music’s Artist of the Year for 2023, after reaching the accolade of the most-streamed female artist in Apple Music history.

READ MORE: Major labels “overhauling contracts” to prevent artists from re-recording their music like Taylor Swift has

The global superstar has seen incredible success in the last 12 months with the release of two re-recorded albums: Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), and 1989 (Taylor’s Version).
In addition, the start of her Eras tour in March saw her streaming figures grow by 61% globally according to Apple Music, and saw the 2019 track Cruel Summer re-enter and remain in the charts since April.
While Ed Sheeran holds the top spot for most streamed Apple Music artist ever, with more than 9.5 billion plays globally, Swift has seen an impressive 65 songs reach Apple Music’s Global Daily Top 100 in 2023, which is more than any other artist in the streaming service’s history.
“I am so honoured to be Apple Music’s Artist of the Year,” says Swift. “Thank you to every single one of you for making this year the most incredible, joyful, celebratory year ever. From streaming the music non-stop to screaming it together in real life at the shows, dancing chaotically in movie theatres, none of this would have been possible without you. Thank you so much.”
“Taylor Swift’s impact on music is absolutely undeniable – not just this record-breaking year, but throughout her entire career,” says Oliver Schusser, Apple’s Vice President of Apple Music and Beats. “She is a generation-defining artist and a true change agent in the music industry, and there is no doubt that her impact and influence will be felt for years to come.”
Taylor Swift has been in the headlines over the last few weeks as it’s been reported that major labels are “overhauling contracts” to prevent artists from re-recording their music.
Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and Warner Music Group are three major labels who have recently overhauled contracts for new signees to introduce these new restrictions.
Their hope is that future artists will not be able to re-record their own albums no earlier than 10 years or more after leaving their label.
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McDSP announce SA-3 Spectral Processor McDSP's latest plug-in is said to excel at removing unwanted spectral spikes in dialogue, vocals and many other audio sources.

What is MIDI?
MIDI is a communications protocol for connecting audio devices. It’s also one of the most widely used music-making tools and the core of every production software setup. Today, we’ll answer what MIDI is and how to use it, as well as break down MIDI terms, devices, and setups. Learning more about MIDI will help you [...]
View post: What is MIDI?

Yaeltex launches LIVE15 plug-and-play controller for Ableton Live Yaeltex, an independent Buenos Aires-based brand, has launched a 15-channel MIDI controller for Ableton Live. It requires no mapping, thanks to a custom remote script, and is ready to plug and play.
The device, called LIVE15, has a mixer at the bottom half with a full clip launcher and encoder section at the top.

READ MORE: Meet Flow, a generative sequencer which uses algorithms to break free of “conventional” sequencing

“LIVE15 is the fulfilment of a long-awaited dream: a big mixer for Ableton Live with full clip control,” says Yaeltex. When in use, LIVE15 displays an array of vibrant colours, and despite its large array of controls, the controller should still fit into your current set up with little difficulty.
With a height of 45 cm and width of 35.5 cm, it should fit on your desk space or store away with little difficulty – a soft case is included to help with this. LIVE15 also keeps things simple with an aluminium front panel and a handmade wooden case for a stripped back aesthetic.
There are 20 “endless” encoders, 48 mini potentiometers, 16 mini faders, and 208 RGB mini buttons on board. LIVE15 also has a USB type B port to connect the device to your computer (and ships with a USB cable included), is reprogrammable, hackable and has open source firmware.
Check out more below:

Back in May, MusicTech rounded up 13 of the Best MIDI controllers to buy so far in 2023 for Ableton Live. Our top selections included devices such as Ableton Push, Akai Professional Force, Novation SL MkIII, Zerodebug TouchAble Pro and also Yaeltex’s TURN.
LIVE15 is available now for $1,623. Find out more or purchase directly via Yaeltex. You can also learn more about Ableton Live and take a look at what feature are new in its latest Live 11 update now.
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